In the last seven years, I've written feature articles about video games, technology, toys, comics and pop culture for MTV, Wired, Time Inc. and Hearst Corp. My work has also appeared in The Daily, Electronic Gaming Monthly, The Escapist, ToyFare, Wizard, Time Out New York, NYLON Guys and The New York Post, among others. I'm currently writing for "Pixels, Panels & Playthings," a Forbes Woman blog dedicated to video games, technology, social media, comics, toys and geek culture. Feel free to e-mail me at tracey[at]traceyjohn[dot]com and follow me on Twitter: @TraceyJohn.

"Breast Milk Baby" Breastfeeding Doll Heading To U.S. Retailers

A young girl plays with the Breast Milk Baby doll.(Image: Berjuan Toys)

Sure, we’ve had dolls that eat, pee and even poop. But now Berjuan Toys’ “Breast Milk Baby,” a doll that lets little girls (and boys) learn about breastfeeding, is coming to a toy store near you.

In a press release yesterday, Alicante, Spain-based Berjuan Toys announced their commitment to bring their Breast Milk Baby doll Stateside after it sold well overseas. The company has generated more than $2 million in sales since the dolls were first released in Spain four years ago.

“Even before we released the dolls in Europe, we have been receiving e-mails, letters, phone calls and messages from breastfeeding activists all over the States,” said Berjuan Toys’ U.S. spokesperson Dennis Lewis in an interview I conducted yesterday. He added that the doll previously received a formal endorsement from the Spanish breastfeeding organization FEDALMA, as well as support from members of other international breastfeeding organizations.

Each doll comes with a “fashionable” halter-top to be worn by the child; it’s decorated with two flowers carefully positioned where the nipples would be. The doll then makes motions and suckling sounds when a sensor in its mouth comes close to sensors inside the flowers. Available in both genders and three different skin colors, the six types of Breast Milk Babies are currently on sale in Europe and available online for $89, though Lewis said that they expect them to be on sale in U.S. brick-and-mortar stores after the company meets with various retailers and buyers at the Las Vegas ASD merchandise trade show later this month.

Breast Milk Baby "Lilyang" (Image: Berjuan Toys)

“Our dolls are perfect for boys and girls two years and older,” he said of the dolls’ target demographic. “Although we usually only think about little girls playing with dolls, the truth is that boys need to acquire healthy nurturing skills as well.”

Not everyone agrees with this sentiment. Back in March, Berjuan Toys caused a stir when it first offered the dolls online. Outlets such as Fox News and ABC got wind of it, and suggested that the doll was perverted and would force girls to grow up too quickly. To outraged critics who think the doll potentially teaches kids about baby-making too early, Lewis maintained that breastfeeding has absolutely nothing to do with sex.

“By learning about a healthy, natural way to feed a baby, boys and girls are not being sexualized in any manner… As an American, I find it hard to believe that we are letting a silly misconception about something as wholesome as breastfeeding be turned into a taboo subject,” he argued, adding that decades ago, our grandmothers would have laughed at all this controversy. “Until a few multinational companies started selling artificial milk, the ‘normal’ way to feed a baby was by breastfeeding.”

Breast Milk Baby "Savannah" (Image: Berjuan Toys)

In fact, Berjuan Toys not only wants to teach kids about breastfeeding, but adults as well. “The truth is that no artificial milk even comes close to providing the benefits of a mother’s milk,” Lewis contended. “Breastfeeding helps prevent many dangerous infant diseases and lowers the risk of breast cancer for mothers later in life… We firmly believe that attitudes about breastfeeding need to change. This is an important health issue that affects babies and mothers all over the world.”

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.

Comments

Honestly, I think it is disturbing to have these kind of dolls made. What happened to making just ordinary dolls with lots of accessories? Yes, breastfeeding is a part of life, but it’s part of a womans life not part of a child’s. We are naturally caring as women, so when a child wraps her doll in a blanket or gives them a bottle it’s our human nature. However, for a young child to strap on a halter, or whatever it is so that she can breastfeed is disturbing. There is a time and place to teach a young child about those kind of things, but not when she’s a child. They are supposed to be enjoying life, not worrying that their doll needs to be breastfed. There’s a reason why women don’t mature till puberty. Our society complains and attacks all these girls who are getting pregnant at such a young age, but can you blame them. You produce these kinds of dolls, so they think it’s fun, but then we attack them when they get pregnant at 14, 15, 16. Making these kinds of dolls for girls is just going to mess our society even more then it is now. I would NEVER buy one for my daughter or anyone else’s child…period!

Breastfeeding education is so important. Knowledge of this starting early with children, so it is seen as a normal way to feed a human infant, is critical. Children should know that one of the key functions of the breast is to make milk, which a mom produces specifically for her baby. The more normalized breastfeeding is the healthier our society will be. Babies have had bottles for years yet when we see a baby doll that is linked to breastfeeding-there is an uproar. Girls and boys should know that there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding and if a doll can help, that is great.

Ms. Ciagne, I must say that I completely agree that it is important for our children to know that the primary purpose of breasts are for providing nutrition to our children. However, I also believe that it is not appropriate for children as young as two years old to have a doll that would imitate that function. The primary purpose of a vagina is to birth our children, yet I doubt you would feel the same way about this if there was a doll that could push a baby out of its bottom. I agree with the previous poster who stated that it would be disturbing for a young child to play at breatfeeding in this way. Baby dolls provide accessories that a child could in theory do themselves with a younger sibling with proper supervision from their parents. A preschooler can help mommy feed a baby with a bottle, or change a diaper. They cannot breastfeed. I think that it is where the boundary lies. There are plenty of things that are appropriate, healthy, and right for an adult that should not be introduced to a young child. He or she may learn about breastfeeding from watching mommy nurse a younger sibling, as it should be. Not from a toy.

I think these dolls are awesome! Saying the children are two young to be imitating breastfeeding is ridiculous. If a child of 2 has younger siblings and comes from a breastfeeding household, they will see this EVERY day.

I come from a country where over 85% of babies are breastfed for the first 6 weeks and a high percentage of babies are breastfed (more are breastfed than formula fed) until at least 6 months of age and older.

It is also VERY normal to see small children and toddlers “breastfeeding” their babies. It’s very cute and nurturing. I even remember doing it when I was four and got my new Cabbage Patch baby (yes, showing my age lol).

Children mimic what they see. It is natural and not sexual and there is no age where it is inappropriate for a child to “breastfeed” their baby/doll.

I’m sure the people uncomfortable with a small child mimicking “breastfeeding” with a doll, aren’t uncomfortable with them “bottle feeding” or feeding with a spoon, so what’s the difference? Oh that’s right!! Breastfeeding is the Natural option!

Breastfeeding makes people in the US uncomfortable period. There are going to be people who are going to say it’s inappropriate. The reality is in households where breastfeeding is the norm toddlers and preschoolers naturally engage in pretend breastfeeding with thier dolls. It is the normal way to feed a baby in thier eyes. For children who do not have siblings that are being breastfed this doll could be useful.

Most importantly breastfeeding is a rightbrain activity. One cannot learn how to breastfeed from a book. Breastfeeding is more like riding a bike. If you grew up never having seen anyone ride a bike, as an adult you only caught glimpses of people riding bikes through tall trees and bushes but everyone told you how important it was for you to ride a bike in a race coming up how prepared would you be? Then on the day of tbe race you climb on your bike some gives you a shove and everyone cheers you on yelling good luck.

This is what we do to breastfeeding mothers. The brain needs to see it, practice it and repeat it either by watching someone else repeat it or by doing oneself.